It's weird how much my classes have been influencing my tastes lately. I mean for my CAMS class it has been photography, and now with my music class it has been Squirrel Nut Zippers. Which is a band. An awesome band. I actually really liked Squirrel Nut Zippers before I started the music class, but since they are a swing revival band and we are studying 30s-40s music right now, I felt compelled to put them on repeat.
You might remember SNZ (way too much work to type out the entire name) from the 90s when swing was having a bit of a comeback. Just look at that party scene in Clueless where the Mighty Mighty Bosstones are the entertainment of choice. Or "Zoot Suit Riot" by Cherry Poppin' Daddies. Anyways, the SNZ song "Hell" was a hit in 1996. And rightfully so.
I remember being little and being very confused when they were spelling things out:
"Now the D and the A and the M and the N and the A and the T and the I-O-N.
Lose your face, Lose you name
And get fitted for a suit of flames."
Um, I totally want a suit of flames. That sounds awesome.
I couldn't find a video for "Hell" so here is "Put A Lid On It".
Doesn't she kind of sound like Billie Holiday? (Thank you, MUS 276.)
Anyways, the whole album, Hot, is great. I think I would have to say that "Bad Businessman" is my favorite. Though "Prince Nez" is good too.
Just check the whole album out. Their follow-up, Perennial Favorites, seems a bit different stylistically and tonally (to me at least), but is fantastical nonetheless.
And if that doesn't convince you, they covered "Under the Sea". Um, awesome. And I almost forgot that Andrew Bird used to play violin for them. Could he get any cooler?
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